THE SONS OF THUNDER
Mk. 3:17; Lk. 9:51-56; 1 Jn. 4
INTRODUCTION
A. HELL’S ANGELS
1. I was running a gas station outside of Springfield Missouri one time. I had 16 pumps. It was a large station and along a major highway.
2. There were two men on the pay phones. I was outside taking money from a lady who was wearing shorts.
3. Suddenly a stream of Harley-Davidson motorcycles started pouring off the highway and around the corner and began pulling into the station.
4. They were all big men, wearing black jackets, with long hair and tough looking. They had chains around their waists. It was the Hell’s Angels motorcycle gang from California!
5. The first biker was the leader -- a huge man with a head of hair like a lion and a massive beard that was divided up into several forks. As he pulled into the station, he revved his motor and roared like a lion.
6. The young woman screamed, threw her money into the air and jumped in her car and took off. I went inside the station.
7. They pulled up 10 bikes to each pump and filled them up. After they had finished, they all filed in and politely paid for their gas. I was surprised how nice they were.
8. The two men on the phone were goggle-eyed, describing the scene on the phones to whoever they were talking to. This relates to our scripture today.
B. TEXT
1. Mark 3:13-17; “13 Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. 14 He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach 15 and to have authority to drive out demons. 16 These are the twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter), 17 James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means “sons of thunder”).”
2. Jesus had some disciples who, if they were alive today, would’ve probably been in a motorcycle gang.
3. The Lord Himself named James and John the "Son of Thunder!" Wouldn't that have made a great name for a motorcycle gang? It was very appropriate in describing their characters as Sons of thunder – lightning is the product of thunderclaps.
4. They were swift, bright, and loud. James and John were brash, bold, and judgmental.
5. We're going to look at the background of these men, their character flaws, and see the transformation that took place in them, which needs to happen in all our lives.
6. The title of this message is “The Sons of Thunder.”
I. GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE BROTHERS
A. BACKGROUND
1. John (Heb. Yohanan- ‘Jehovah is gracious’) and his brother James, were sons of Zebedee and Salome. They were fisherman who lived in Bethsaida and/or Capernaum.
2. We know they were a wealthy family because 1). their father had hired servants in his fishing business (Mark 1:20), 2). their mother Salome was a main financial contributor to Jesus (Lk. 8:3), and 3). John was personally known to the high-priest Caiaphas (John 18:15-16).
B. THEIR MOTHER, SALOME, WAS A TOP CHRISTIAN
1. Salome, their mother, was one of the pious women who followed Christ and "ministered unto him of her substance."
2. Salome was at the crucifixion: “Some women were watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joseph, and Salome” Mark 15:40, Mt. 27:56.
3. Salome was at the Tomb on Easter morning: “When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body” Mark 16:1.
4. So Salome wasn’t just another disciple, she was one of the most involved and persevering of Jesus’ followers.
C. MINISTRY HISTORY
1. James & John were 2 of the 3 members of Jesus’ Inner Circle of closest disciples (they were at Jairus’ daughter’s resurrection, Mark 5:37; the Transfiguration, Matt. 17:1; & in Gethsemane, Mark 14:33).
2. They were men of action – ambitious (Mk. 10:37), fiery (Lk. 9:54) and with explosive tempers, hence the name “Boanerges, which means ‘son of Thunder’ (Mk. 3:17). John, however, mellowed with time. In the latter part of his life, he became known as the “Apostle of love.”
3. John and Peter were the only disciples to follow Jesus, after His arrest, to Caiaphas’ house. John stayed there during the trial, and he was the only one of the apostles present at the crucifixion.
II. EVIDENCE OF AN UNCHRISTLIKE SPIRIT
Luke 9:51-56 NKJV; “51 Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem, 52 and sent messengers before His face. And as they went, they entered a village of the Samaritans, to prepare for Him. 53 But they did not receive Him, because His face was set for the journey to Jerusalem. 54 And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?” 55 But He turned and rebuked them, and said, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. 56 For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.” And they went to another village.”
A. A DAY OF EXTREMES
1. In Luke 9:28-36, Jesus was transfigured before Peter, James, and John and a cloud of God’s presence appeared. They had a truly mountaintop experience; very spiritual. They had seen Jesus transformed and heard the Father speak. They had seen Elijah and Moses in glory!
2. As they came down the mountain, verses 46-50 tell us they were arguing about who was going to be the greatest!
3. Then they wanted to burn some people up, to fry some people -- like some very spiritual Christians, who, after a glorious church service, feel like running over someone at the grocery store who gets ahead of them into a parking spot.
4. Does it ever burn you up when you try to do someone a favor and they don't appreciate it? James & John had sacrificed; they’d travelled many miles to get there and were God’s chosen instruments.
5. And would you believe it -- those ungrateful Samaritans said to them, "Get lost! Get your sideshow out of here!" You bunch of ugly Jews!"
B. PROPHET MENTALITY
1. God says, "Vengeance is Mine." But have you ever thought about helping Him out?
2. James and John identified with Elijah: Righteous anger. "I have the right to get mad!” In 2 Kings 1:9-17, Elijah called down fire on people who rejected him.
3. Elijah burned up people. As a matter of fact, it was almost the same spot and the same people! "If people don't treat me right, I'll nuke them!" RETALIATION.
4. “Hey, we’re entitled to a respectful reception.” Elijah had said, "If I am a man of God, may fire come down and consume you." But Jesus was more than a Man of God! He was and is the Son of God, yet He required no recompence!
5. HUMOR. A father read his son the passage about "turning the other cheek." The Dad said, “If they hit you on one cheek, you’re supposed to turn the other cheek.” His son said, "What if they hit me on the other cheek too?" The dad answered, "Then beat the fire out of them!"
C. CHRIST’S REBUKE
1. Christ came in a different spirit than Elijah, 2 Cor. 3:7-9. The Old Testament dispensation was one of the law, judgment, and condemnation.
2. John 1:17 reveals that Jesus came in a different spirit than the stern reformer. He came in reconciliation, forgiveness, and grace.
3. Jesus has no pleasure in vengeance. He came not to destroy, but to save people's lives!
III. TRANSFORMATION OF CHARACTER
A. JAMES & JOHN CHANGED
1. James was martyred early (Acts 12), so his life is not visible after Pentecost. But the apostle John came so much under the Holy Spirit’s influence, that he was called the Apostle of Love!"
2. In the synoptic Gospels – Matthew, Mark, and Luke – the word "love" is used 26 times. The Gospel of John alone uses the word “love” 58X and 1 John has it 33X!
3. Listen to John later in his life: “7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. 16 God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. 20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.” 1 John 4:7-8,11-12,16,20.
B. QUESTION FOR US
1. What kind of spirit are we of? What kind of spirit do we exude? Do you give off a feeling of grace or is there jealousy, strife, or bitterness?
2. John Wesley spoke on the Parable of the Talents. A lady came up and said, "My talent is to give people a piece of my mind." John Wesley replied, "Lady, I don’t think the Lord would mind if you buried that talent."
3. The apostle Paul spoke of "the more excellent Way." UNCONDITIONAL LOVE
4. POEM: Learning from Living
If a child lives with criticism, he learns to condemn.
If a child lives with hostility, he learns to fight.
If a child lives with ridicule, he learns to be shy.
If a child lives with shame, he learns to feel guilty.
BUT.............
If a child lives with tolerance, he learns to be patient.
If a child lives with encouragement, he learns confidence.
If a child lives with praise, he learns to appreciate.
If a child lives with fairness, he learns justice.
If a child lives with security, he learns to have faith.
If a child lives with approval, he learns to like himself.
If a child lives with acceptance & friendship, he learns to find LOVE in the world!
5. Remember, God’s goal is for us to be transformed into Jesus’ likeness; “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son...” Rom. 8:29. Are WE being changed?
CONCLUSION
A. YOU?
1. If God can change harsh, critical, judgmental men such as James & John and turn John into the “Apostle of Love,” can’t He change you too?
2. Have you been insulted? Suffer it! Overcome evil with good, and with love.
B. ILL: CHRISTLIKENESS IN A WORLD OF SIN
1. A person who is "sanctified in Christ" is like the Water Spider which is a very peculiar insect. (Some of you are pretty peculiar too!)
2. The Water Spider lives at the bottom of muddy pools and has the distinctive power of ascending to the surface of the pool and there surrounding itself with a bubble of air. Thus enveloped, it descends to the ooze at the bottom of the pool and remains there, untouched by its environment, until its air is exhausted. Then it goes to the surface for more air.
3. That’s what Christians are supposed to do; go to God in prayer & praise, and in the Word. Then develop an atmosphere of God’s presence in our hearts that will keep us in our own heavenly environment while out in this evil world. We can remain unspotted until we have time to get back into the presence of God for more heavenly air. [Anonymous]
4. We are “in the world, but not of it.” We bring our own heavenly environment with us into the world, and we live separate lives there. I encourage you to live in God’s light and His love!
C. THE CALL
1. Are you struggling to maintain a Christlike attitude in the midst of difficulties and conflicts? Let’s pray for a new baptism of love!
2. Are you discouraged about your lack of transformation into the image of Christ? There are steps you can take: 1). Spend more time in the Word (renewing your mind, Rom. 12:2); 2). have on Christian music all day, 3.) be around Christian people as much as possible, and 4). Spend more time in God’s presence in prayer & meditation.
3. God says, “As is your day, so shall be your strength.” “Where sin abounds, grace does MUCH MORE ABOUND!” Rom. 5:20. However difficult your journey, God’s grace will be more than sufficient. His Spirit inside you will be stronger than whatever force is outside you. Let Him fill you more!
4. PRAYER
